Typewriting machine



Feb, H, 1936. J. A. B. SMITH YPEWRITING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE TYPEWRI'TING -MACHINE Application May 11, 1935, Serial No. 20,926

16 Claims. (01. 197-63) This invention relates to the line-length or margin-gage mechanism for typing-machine carriages, and aims to provide means for facilitating the resetting of the margin-gages relatively to certain selective standards of line -lengthsyit being a further object of the invention to have said: means simple in structure and arrangement, and therefore inexpensive and easily applicable to existing machines. in To these and other ends, each of the two margin-gages of the Underwood typewriter, for example, may have added thereto a new gage-arm which extends to a point adjacent a cross-shaft which is rotatable to selective stations, so that 13 one or another of a sufficient plurality of pairs of stops provided thereon may be presented in line with said gage-arms for resetting the margingages thereto, the pairs of stops being angularly spaced on said shaft.

The shaft-stops may be laterally adjusted to and held in such positions that the separation and location of the stops of each pair will be proper for a certain line-length or work-sheet width.

For illustration, provision for an assortment of three line-length standards is herein considered, namely, a short line, a long line and an intermediate line length.

Preparatory to using, for example, a narrow or 30 small letter sheet, the stop-shaft is set to smallletter or short line station. This aligns a certain pair of shaft-stops with the margin-gagearms, and the margin-gages may then be moved to bring said arms against these stops. The 25 margin-gages will then be in proper positions for the short line and will remain so throughout the typing of the sheet and successive sheets.

If it is desired to no longer use the short line or narrow sheets, but say the intermediate-line 4O lengths for intermediate-width sheets, the shaft is rotated to the medium-line station. This puts another pair of stops, which are more separated, into line with the margin-gage-arms. The margin-gages are then reset to bring their 5 said arms into abutment with said intermediate stops, and are thereby quickly and properly relocated f-or typing upon the medium-width worksheets, and so remain so long as it is desired to use the intermediate work-sheets.

When it is desired to use the longest line say for still wider letters, the shaft may be turned to a third position which aligns a pair of extremely separated stops on the shaft with the margin-gage-arms. The margin-gages are then moved so that their arms will abut the extreme stops; the margin-gages being maintained in these positions for typing the wide sheets.

There may be further provision for rotating the shaft to move the outermost stops to inoperaa tive positions without moving the other stops into operative positions. By such provision, adjustment of the margin-gages is rendered independent of the new series of stops.

The shaft may be rotated by a handle disposed at the end thereof, and which may also serve as an index of the setting of the shaft. Or, if preferred, a hand wheel or knob may be secured upon the end of the shaft, in lieu of the handle.

Detent-means may be provided for holding the shaft steady at any station to which it may be set.

The invention affords a substantial range of use for the set of shaft-stops, and it increases the usefulness of the margin-gage mechanism. Forexample, the outermost stops may be made of such extent circumferentially of the shaft as to be-usablefor setting the margin-gages to widesheet'position when the shaft is set to bring the innermost stops into use. It is thus feasible to have the shaft stand in a single position for the use'of an innermost pair of stops or an outermost pair of stops, and in that case the margingages can be shifted to abut either the inner or outer stops, at will, the margin-gage-arms passing freely by the intermediate stops.

The margin-gages retain their usual functions in the machine, in that said functions are not affected or interfered with by the novel devices for resetting the margin-gages.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is aperspective View of the margingagemechanism, including the improvements, and related parts of a typing machine; some parts being sectioned and broke-n away for clearness.

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the machineportionwhich includes the margin-gage mechanism and improvements, certain parts of the latter being sectioned for clearness.

Figure 3 is a plan view, partly sectioned, showing details of the margin-gage-setting stop-shaft and its mounting and also represents said shaft rotated to neutral position for setting the margingages independently of the stops on said shaft.

Figure 4 represents typing on a work-sheet in lines of the longest-length standard.

Figure 5 is a front View diagram representing the stop-shaft at its long-line or wide-sheetsta tion and the margin-gages set to the outermost or long-line pair of stops.

Figure 6 represents typing on a work-sheet in lines of the medium-length standard.

Figure '7 is a front View diagram representing the stop-shaft at its medium-line-length station, and represents the margin-gages as being set to the intermediate pair of stops.

Figure 8 represents typing on a work-sheet in lines of the shortest-length standard.

Figure 9 is a front view diagram showing the stop-shaft set to short-line or narrow-sheet station, and represents the margin-gages as being set to the short-line pair of stops.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side elevation view showing an arrangement for mounting the stop-shaft and other elements independently of ide-members of the machine-frame.

A typing machine such as the Underwood is herein represented by such portions thereof as are necessary for an understanding of the invention.

Main frame if) of the machine includes standards 16, supporting a front track-bar H for a letter-feeding carriage it, which has front rolls, represented at is, engaging said track-bar H; said carriage being also guided at its rear on a track not shown.

At operation of types Ell to print upon a worksheet 2! positioned around a platen 22, supported within said carriage E8, the latter moves in letter-feeding steps by means of the usual letterfeed mechanism not shown.

A margin-gage 25 presents a stop-lug 28 opposite a counter-stop 29 on the carriage 8, for limiting movement of the latter in leftward or letter-feed direction.

For its lateral adjustment, said margin-gage 25 is slidable at its body til along a cross-rod 3i and a cross-rack upon retraction of a pawl 35, having a finger-piece 35, said pawl being normally spring-pressed to engage rack-teeth 33 for locating and holding said margin-gage at a sel cted letter-space station. The cross-rack 32 has side-arms 2% to rock, together with said margin-gage 25, about said cross-rod 31; said margin-gage being splined to said cross-rack.

As the carriage iii, in its letter-feed advance, reaches a certain point, a cam-nose 31 will have coasted with a margin-gage cam 38 to rock said margin-gage and the cross-rack, and thereby, by means of a pendent arm 35, attached to said cross-rack, will, at said point, trip a bell-striker ll to signal the approach of the line-end. As the carriage reaches the ordinary line-end position, the cam-nose 3?, by means of another margin-gage cam 32, will further rock the margingage 2E cross-rack 32 and arm 39, and thereby move a locking bail 43 to lock the type-keylevers, represented at 3 1, Figure 1.

A button Figure 1, is pressable, at will, to disengage the pendent arm 39 from the locking bail 33 which thereby becomes temporarily restored to permit carriage advance of a few spaces beyond its ordinary line-end position, the carriage, however, being finally arrested by means of the margin-stop lug 28, and the type-keys being finally locked by engagement of a secondary cam-nose with the margin-gage cam 42. The dotted lines ll on the work-sheet 2!, Figure 1, illustrate the three carriage-positions at which the margin-gage 25 works to give the bell-signal, and determine the first key-lock for the ordinary line-end, and the final line-end. A spring d8 restores the cross'rack 32 and margin-gage 25 tonormal position, in which the cross-rack abuts a stop 59.

Return of the carriage l8 to line-starting or left work-sheet margin-determining position is gaged by interception of a counter-stop 5| on the carriage by a stop-lug 52 on a margin-gage 25.

For its. lateral adjustment, said margin-gage 26 is slidable at its body 53, along the cross-rod 3! and a parallel rack-rod 54, upon retraction of a pawl 55, pivoted to said body and having a finger-piece 5'! and being spring-pressed to nor mally engage rack-teeth 56 to locate and hold said margin-gage 26 at a selected letter-space station. The counter-stop 5!, being part of a lever 55-! which is pivoted to the carriage at 6B and has a key 6i, may, by depressing said key, be raised to permit return of the carriage beyond the position determined by said margingage 28.

The novel mechanism for facilitating setting of the margin-gages 25, 26, relatively to selective line-length or worlr-sheet-width standards, will now be described.

Each of the margin-gages 25, 26 is provided with an arm 63 for margin-gage-setting contact with one or another of stops 64, 65, 66, mounted upon a cross-shaft G'l. Said shaft, disposed below said margin-gages, may be journaled at its end-portions in the webs of the machine-frame standards I 6, represented in sectional plan at Figure 3, and shaft-collars 68, abutting said standards, retain said shaft against endwise displacement.

For illustration, three pairs or six stops E l-56 are shown to provide for setting the margingages 25, 26, with reference to three standards of line-lengths, namely, short, long, and intermediate line-lengths, in order that the worksheet Zi may have correspondingly, three standards of width of untyped right and left margins. Each of the stops E 55 extends radially from a shaft-fitting hub or collar 69, having a setscrew lil, by which the collar and its stop are fastened to the shaft with the stop in proper position.

The three pairs of stops G L-56 are angularly spaced around the shaft, the stops of each pair being in line parallelly with the shaft Bl, so that, upon rotating the latter to one or another of angularly spaced stations, one or another of the pairs of stops may be brought into line with the arms 63 of the margin-gages 25, 26.

The innermost pair of stops E4 is for the shortest-line length, and these stops are therefore set apart on the shaft, by means of their collars $9 and set-screws It, to correspond with the adopted short-line standard. Similarly, the intermediate pair of stops 65 and the outermost pair of stops 6% are set apart on the shaft to correspond respectively with the adopted intermediate and long line standards.

Provision for determining rotation of the shaft 6? to the proper stations may be made as follows. Upon an extension 72 of the shaft, outside of one of the main-frame standards IE, a springdetent arm 13, having, a hub 14, is fastened by a set-screw 15, Figure l.

Detent-stations T6, with one or another of which a suitable formation T1, at the end of said detent-arm 13, may coact, may be presented by a plate 18, secured, as by rivets 89, to an inner side-wall 8! of a hood 82. Said hood serves as a decorative mask over the detent-arm l3 and stations 16, and includes an outer wall 83, and

stop-shaft 61 has been rotated thereto.

-top'a'ndfront sides 84, which afford an opening 86 through which extends a shaft-arm or handle 81, which, as it registers with markings 88 on'said top and front sides 84, indicates the linelength station at which the stop-shaft stands.

The hood 82, with its inner wall 8| againstthe main frame-standard i6, is fastened to the latterby a screw 90, Figures 2 and 3, said inner wall and also the outer hood-wall 83 being perforated to fit the shaft-extension l2, whereby the latter co-operates with said screw to maintain the hood in proper angular relation to the stops 6466. The outer hood-wall 83 may have a perforation 9| for access to said hood-fastening screw 90. The shaft-extension 12 may project I beyond the hood to carry a finger-wheel or knob 92.

The stop-engaging arms 63 of the margingages 25, 26 may have upper portions 93 bent horizontally for attachment to the tops of the margin-gage bodies 30, 53, by screws 94.

Figure 9 represents the stop-shaft 61 asbeing supported by an end-portion 95 of an arm 96,-in

"lieu of journaling the shaft in the web of the -25.'

main frame-standard 16, in case the latter has an opening 9'! at the cross-shaft axis. Said arm 96 may extend from a suitable machine-framework member; Figure 10 showing said arm extending from a ribbon-spool bracket 98 of the Underwood machine and attached to the latter by screws 99, which also secure said bracket 98 to the machine-framework. By suitable formation, as indicatedat H39, said arm 96 may present 'itsshaft-supporting, end-portion 95 in proximity to the web of the frame-standard I6, for attachment of the hood 82 to said end-portion 95 by the screw 90, a suitable spacer lill being used to locate the hood against the outer side of the standard l6. In the Figure 10 arrangement, a shaft-collar I02 abutting the arm-end-portion 95 co-operates to retain the shaft against endwise displacement. It will be understood that there may be an arm similar to 96 at the other end of the stop-shaft.

. Operation of the novel mechanism for resetting of the margin-stops 25, 29 may be summarized as follows:

. Preparatory to typing on the work-sheet 2i in lines I03, say of shortest length, so as to leave the widest margins at the sides of the worksheets, as diagrammatically represented at Figure 8, the stop-shaft 61 is rotated to the shortline station, which is indicated by the registry of the shaft-handle 81 with the (SL) marking 89, Figure 1, and by the accompanying selfengagement of the shaft-detent-arm-formation 11 with the shaft-detent station 16 correspondingto said short-line (SL) marking 88. It will be, understood that said self-engagement of the shaft-detent-arm-forrnation 11 with the detentstation 16 is effected by reason of the lateral pressure of the resilient detent-arm 13 which causes said arm-formation 11 to settle into shaft-holding engagement with said station 16 when the The margin-gages 25, 26, assuming. the same to have been previously set according to one of the longer-line standards, are now moved inwardly until their arms 63 abut their respective shaft-stops 64 line stops 54 will be held in short-line positions by "reason of their respective spring-pressed pawlsi 34, 55, respectively, engaging. the :rackteeth 33, 56.

If; following a period of typing in shortest lines, it is desired to change totyping on thewo-rksheet 21 in lines I94 of longest length so as to leave the narrowest margin. at the sidesof .said work-sheet, as diagrammatically indicated in c Figure 4, the shaft 61 may be rotated to the longline station to bring the long-line stops 66*.into

' line with the margin-gage arms .63, it being' -as-a sumed for the present that. said long-line stops 66 have the same. spur-like form as is indicated. for the short-line stops 64. When suchlong-iline stops and the margin-gage-arms 63 are. thus outwardly until their arms 63 abut such long-line stop-s, as'is indicated in Figure 5. Said marginguides 25, 26 will thus be reset to long-linepositions in which they will be retained as :long as desired by means of their respectivepawls 34,55?

Instead of making the long-line stops 66' otthe above-mentioned spur-like form, said stopsstfi may, asbest seen in Figure 1, be in theformof flanges extending radially from their respective collars 69, so that they will be effective forJ-set-ating the margin-gages thereto at any of theuthree r line-length stations of. the shaft 61. Bysu'chexpedient, it is feasible toreset the margin-gages from short-line positions to longest-linepositions,

and vice versa, without rotating the shaft. 61,";

since the latter, in such case,.may;be positioned at the shortest-line! station, eachmargin-gage in such case being shiftable between the dotted andfull line positions seen in Figure 9.

Typing upon the work-sheet- Zl. inilinesof 1 medium length is provided for by rotatinguthe shaft 61 to medium-line-length station,.such:station being indicated by registry of the handle 81 with the medium-line (ML) markingt88sand by accompanying engagement of the.spring-.de:,.

tent arm 13 with a corresponding detent-station 16. The margin-gages are then movedzuntil their arms 63 abut the medium-line stops-$5,

aligned, the margin-guides 25, 26 may be moveds1-15 line'le-ngth or vice versa; the. margin-gages 25,1.55

26 .in. such case being shifted between the-dotted and full linepositions, indicated in Figure 7.

Provision is also made for an idle station. of the shaft'fil, in order that the margin-gages maybe set, independently of the stops 64--65, withim the machines full range of margin-gage adjustment, it being understood that for such independent adjustment, the usual marginegage-setting scale I96 and co-operating pointers I91, Figure 2, may be used. But the use of such scale and. pointers is dispensed with for the three adopted standards of line-length determined by means of the shaft Bl, thus conducing greatly to facilitating the: resetting-of the margin-gages for-such line-length standards.

Rotation of the shaft 6? to its idle station, which will be indicated by registry of the handle 81 with the marking (I) 88. and by engagement of thedetent-arm 13'with a corresponding-de- :-.tentstation= 15, brings a notch .199: provided; any,

the flange-forming edge of each long-line stop 68 into line with the margin-gage-arm 63, and also movesthe short and medium line stops 64,

65 out of line with said margin-gage-arm 63, so

that the margin-gages may be adjusted independently of said stops 64-66.

It may be noted that it would be feasible also to make the short-line stops 64 of flange-like form like the longline stops 65, as is indicated at the Figure 3 diagram by the dotted outlines I I0 representing such flanged short-line stops, which would also have notches II I to align, at the idle shaft-station represented at Figure 3, with the arms 63 of the margin-gages 25, 26 for adjustment of the latter independently of the stops 64-66. In any case, the medium-line stops would be of the indicated spur-like form or any other suitable form which would permit them to be passed by the margin-gage-arms 63 at the short-line, long-line and idle shaft stations.

It will be seen that the stops 60-65 are arranged relatively to the margin-gages 25, 25, so that the latter can perform their usual functions, such as the above-described line-end signaling and key-locking done by means of the margingage 25.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typing machine, the combination with a letter-feeding carriage, and difierentially settable margin-gages to limit the carriage-movement, of a plurality of margin-gage-setting stops, and means, operable at will, whereby said stops may be selectively interposed into line with companion features provided on the margin-gages, for gaging and thereby facilitating the setting of the margin-gages according to a plurality of certain line-length standards.

2. In a margin-gage mechanism for a letterfeeding typing-machine carriage, the combination with two differentially settable margingages for limiting the carriage-movements, of a shaft having a plurality of stops against which the margin-gages may be set, to thereby determine certain standards of line-lengths, said shaft being rotatable, at will, to selective stations, to bring into use selectively the stops corresponding to said line-length standards.

3. In a margin-gage mechanism for a letterfeeding typing-machine carriage, the combination with two differentially settable margin-gages for limiting the carriage-movements, of a shaft having a plurality of stops against which the margin-gages may be set, to thereby determine certain standards of line-lengths, said shaft being rotatable, at will, to selective stations, to bring into use selectively the stops corresponding to said line-length standards, and means for gaging the rotation of said shaft to said stations.

4. In a margin-gage mechanism for a letterfeeding typing-machine carriage, the combination with a differentially settable margin-gage operative to limit the carriage-movement, of a shaft having'a plurality of stops spaced lengthwise and angularly thereof, said margin-gage being settable against and by means of said stops to certain different positions, said shaft being rotatable, at will, to selective stations corresponding to said margin-gage positions to bring into use the appropriate stops, said shaft being rotatable, at will, also to an idle station, at which all of said stops are ineffective, thereby enabling said margin-gage to be set independently of said stops.

5. The combination with a differentially settable margin-gage operative to limit the movement of a letter-feeding typing-machine carriage, of a shaft having three margin-gagesetting stops spaced lengthwise thereof, said shaft being rotatable, at will, to two stations, and the three stops being arranged so as to be usable selectively, by means of said two stations, for setting the margin-gage thereagainst, and thereby determining three positions of said margingage.

6. The combination with a diiferentially settable margin-gage operative to limit the move ment of a letter-feeding typing-machine carriage, of a shaft having three margin-gage-setting stops spaced lengthwise thereof, said shaft being rotatable, at will, to two stations, and the three stops being arranged so as to be usable selectively, by means of said two stations, for setting the margin-gage thereagainst, and thereby determining three positions of said margin-gage, said shaft being rotatable also to a third station, and said stops being arranged to clear said margin-gage at said third station, for setting said margin-gage independently of said stops.

7. In a typing machine having a letter-feeding carriage, the combination with a carriage-movement-limiting margin-gage, and a rack for locating the margin-gage at different stations, of a shaft, and a stop settable along said shaft for setting the margin-gage thereto to locate the margin-gage at a certain one of said stations, said shaft being rotatable to different positions, at will, to present said stop for margin-gagesetting or to withdraw said stop for setting the margin-gage independently thereof.

8. In a typing machine having a letter-feeding carriage, the combination with a carriage-movement-limiting margin-gage, and a rack for locating the margin-gage at different stations, of a shaft, and a plurality of stops differentially locatable on said shaft and operative for setting the margin-gage thereto and thereby at certain ones of said rack-stations, said shaft being rotatable to different positions, to selectively present said stops for margin-gage-setting or to withdraw all of said stops for setting the margin-gage independently thereof.

9. The combination with typing keys, a letterfeeding carriage, a differentially settable margingage therefor, and means whereby said margingage functions to lock said keys to limit the carriage-travel at the end of a typed line, of a plurality of margin-gage-setting stops, and means operable, at will, preparatory to the setting of said margin-gage, to position and thereby selectively bring said stops into use for setting the margin-gage thereto according to selected lineend positions of the carriage, said stops and margin-gage being relatively arranged so that the margin-gage, after being set to the selected one of said stops, may function for locking said keys at the line-end without withdrawing the selected stop.

10. In a typing machine having typing keys and a letter-feeding carriage, the combination with a differentially settab-le margin-gage for the carriage, and means whereby said margin-gage functions to signal carriage approach to a lineend, of a plurality of margin-gage-setting stops, and means operable, at will, preparatory to the setting of said margin-gage, to position and thereby selectively bring said stops into use for setting the margin-gage thereto, according to predetermined line-end positions of the carriage,

said stops and margin-gage being relatively arcarriage-movement-limiting margin-gages supported for adjustable locations relatively to said frame, of a cross-shaft rotatably supported on said main frame, stops on said shaft for adjusting the margin-gages thereto and thereby adjusting said margin-gages according to certain line-length standards, said shaft being rotatable to different stations for selective use of said stops, and means on said shaft and frame for indicating the shaft-stations and corresponding linelengths.

12. In a typing machine having a main frame and a letter-feeding carriage supported for travel relatively to said frame, the combination with carriage-movement-limiting margin-gages supported for adjustable locations relatively to said frame, of a cross-shaft rotatably supported on said main frame, stops on said shaft for adjusting the margin-gages thereto and thereby adjusting said margin-gages according to certain line-length standards, said shaft being rotatable to different stations for selective use of said stops, and means on said shaft and frame for detenting the shaft at said stations and indicating the corresponding line-lengths.

13. In a typing machine having a letter-feeding carriage, the combination with two differentially settable carriage-movement-limiting margin-gages, of a shaft provided with a plurality of stops, said shaft being supported for rotation to different stations to selectively present said stops for adjustment of the margin-gages thereto in accordance with a plurality of line-lengths including a short line, a long line and a medium length line.

14, In a typing machine having a letter-feeding carriage, the combination with two difierentially settable carriage-movement-limiting margin-gages, of a shaft provided with a plurality of stops, said shaft being supported for rotation to different stations to selectively present said stops for adjustment of the margin-gages thereto in accordance with a plurality of line-lengths including a short line, a long line and a medium length line, said stops being arranged in pairs, in accordance with the provision of said two margin-gages, one pair of stops for each linelength.

15. In a typing machine having a letter-feeding carriage, the combination with two differentially settable carriage-movement-limiting margin-gages, of a shaft provided with a plurality of stops, said shaft being supported for rotation to different stations to selectively present said stops for adjustment of the margin-gages thereto in accordance with a plurality of line-lengths including a short line, a long line and a medium length line, said stops being arranged in pairs, in accordance with the provision of said two margin-gages, one pair of stops for each linelength, two of said pairs of stops being operative, at one of said shaft-stations, for selectively setting the margin-gages thereto for two of said line-lengths.

16. In a typing machine having a letter-feeding carriage, the combination With two difierentially settable carriage-movement-limiting margin-gages, of a shaft provided with a plurality of stops, said shaft being supported for rotation to different stations to selectively present said stops for adjustment of the margin-gages thereto in accordance with a plurality of line-lengths including a short line, a long line and a medium length line, said stops being arranged in pairs, in accordance with the provision of said two margin-gages, one pair of stops for each linelength, a difierent two of said pairs of stops being operative, at each of two of said shaftstations, for selectively setting the margin-gages thereto for two of said line-lengths.

JESSE A. B. SMITH. 

